2023-07-20

Direct eFax of Prescriptions from Connect Care to Community Pharmacies

As of July 25, 2023, AHS and AHS partner facilities using the Connect Care clinical information system can send medication prescriptions directly to community pharmacies via an electronic fax ("eFax") process. This avoids the prior need to print, hand-sign, then fax a prescription. Community pharmacists receive these prescriptions via fax, following their usual procedures. The new Connect Care eFax workflow cannot be used for prescriptions for drugs classified as Type 1 under the Tracked Prescription Program (TPP); these prescriptions still require the use of a paper TPP secure prescription form. Note that the eFax option is available for medications only, not supplies such as diabetic supplies. 

This new service has many advantages:

  • Safety - reduced transcription and interpretation errors associated with traditional handwritten paper prescriptions
  • Convenience - prescribers, pharmacies and patients will no longer require manual paper processes, saving time and reducing the change of lost prescriptions
  • Choice - each patient can choose the pharmacy to which their prescription(s) will be transmitted
  • Security - the prescriptions transmitted from Connect Care include new verification features to ensure prescription authenticity
For security and safety, electronically faxed Connect Care prescriptions include an electronic signature linked to the unique username, password and professional registration number of each prescriber (such as a physician's College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta registration number). The electronic signature replaces a handwritten ("wet") signature; consequently, graphic signatures are not required and do not appear on direct-faxed prescriptions. Additionally, each prescription has a unique order number that is specific to that prescription. Community pharmacists have access to a new online real-time validation tool that can verify the authenticity of Connect Care electronic prescriptions.

After the initial go-live date of July 25, Hyperspace must be restarted once for the eFax functionality to be available.

How does this affect prescriber workflow?

To send a prescription via direct electronic fax to a community pharmacy, there are two steps for the ordering prescriber:

  1. Confirm or enter the patient's preferred pharmacy (or pharmacies); and
  2. Change the order class to "Fax" (the default is "Print", including for refills) and select the destination pharmacy (or pharmacies).

A tip sheet further explains these steps. (Note: This workflow should not be used for treatment [therapy] plan medications, as these have specific settings that should not be changed.) Information and resources for community pharmacists are available on ahs.ca.

2023-07-19

All User Bulletin - Communication Delay Between POCT Devices and Connect Care

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Communication Delay Between POCT Devices and Connect Care

AegisPOC, the system that controls result transmission between Point of Care Testing (POCT) devices and Connect Care, has been experiencing some delays during regular business hours. Transmitting results from POCT instruments into Connect Care systems could be delayed for: Blood Gases (ABL Radiometer, IL GEM, Avoximeter); Accu-Chek Inform II glucose meters; Abbott i-STAT devices; Siemens Clinitek Status+ urine analyzers; and Siemens DCA Vantage.

  • POCT instruments can still be used and Connect Care systems are available. 
  • Affected POCT results will be transmitted to Connect Care once the backlog has cleared. 
  • DO NOT use the Epic enter/edit function to enter these delayed results. This will cause a result duplication error.

2023-07-06

Ordering Therapy Plans - Launch 7 Prescriber-Led Support Sessions

Prescribers who order recurrent, ongoing therapies (IVIG, blood, antimicrobials, procedures, etc.) known as Therapy Plans (pre-defined collection of related/standing orders that apply to multiple/recurrent encounters over time) are invited to attend a prescriber-led demonstration of the workflow. The sessions demonstrate the process of ordering Therapy Plans, and will prepare you for entering orders post-launch and when asked to review converted legacy orders prior to launch.  

The following sessions are scheduled prior to Launch 7. Although important for Launch 7 prescribers who have current patients with scheduled therapies, it is recommended for any prescriber who anticipates using these ordering tools. All Connect Care prescribers and clinicians who order or action Therapy Plans are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Clicking on the hyperlinked date for a session will open a calendar invite for that session, which you can then respond to and receive the meeting information.

For more information, please see the below resources:

2023-07-05

All User Bulletin - Default Internet Browser for Connect Care Links

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Default Internet Browser Change in Connect Care
Many workflows within the Connect Care "HyperSpace" workstation environment contain links to Internet resources that can assist users (e.g., Clinician Manual) or provide access to needed documents (e.g., MHA forms), guidance (e.g., eReferences) or decision supports (e.g., calculators). When these open in a pop-up window, they do so in an Internet browser. To date, the browser has been Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE). However, many Internet resources are no longer compatible with IE. 
On July 6, 2023, the default Internet browser for pop-up links will be Microsoft Edge. Users will be aware of this change by noting the background colour of the browser window:
Prescribers do not need to take any action, but may notice slight changes in how some web pages display. Please alert the help desk if a previously working Internet resource fails in a clinically impactful way after this update.